Carding machine



C. E. WHITE May 2, 1950 CARDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8,1947 Wis/ta,

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CARDING MACHINE` Filed July 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illu" sa Rigi?. 389 '37 'rnlllmllnn-lul- 33 Y gr Patented May 2, 195@ strateeg UNITED`STATES PATENT OFFICE (Cl. 1li- 109) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to Vimprovements in methods and mechanisms `forstripping the mat of material which accumulates upon the surface of a,rotating carding cylinder and/or that which accumulates upon the doiercooperating therewith for the purpose of producing a sliver of uniformcharacter and quality. n

Usual mechanisms for stripping the mat of material which accumulatesupon the surface of a continuously rotating carding cylinder comprises acarriage having stripping mechanism,

1 preferably of the pneumatic type, which is moved during the strippingoperation longitudinally of a cylinder and/or a dcifer of a cardingmachine by a traverse screw extending longitudinally of the machine andhaving a thread of uniform pitch which is engaged by a pawl on thecarriage after the carriage has been moved manually to initial strippingposition at one end of the cylinder and/or doffer and Which is moved bythe rotation of the traverse screw `at a uniform speed of rotation tocause the carriage to travel lengthwise of the cylinder and/or doiferwith means automatically operable to release the carriage fromengagement with the traverse screw upon the completion of the traversingmovement.

inasmuch as the traverse of the carriage begiros at once upon engagementof its pawl with the traverse screw it has heretofore been necessary forthe operator to hold the carriage in initial stripping position asufficient time to insure `complete stripping of the initial end of thecylinder and/or doifer before the pavvl on the carrier is engaged bythetraverse screw, for if the pawl `is immediately engaged with thetraverse screw when moved toinitial stripping `position the traverse ofthe carriage will begin immediately to strip the continuous spiralfurrow beginning at the initial end of the cylinder and will leave atriangular unstripped `portion or dog tail between the rst turn ofthespiral and the initial end of the cylinder. Similarly, if the pawl ofthe carriage is immediately released atthe terminal or nnishing end ofthe stripping operation a similar triangular unstripped portion willremain upon the terminal end of the more slowly rotating doifer.

The general object of the invention is to provide a method and means forinsuring complete stripping of the cylinder throughout its entire lengthwithout necessitating the delay heretofore required to insure completestripping of the end portions of the cylinder and/or doffer.

In prior machines when the carriage has moved to the terminal or nishingend of the cylinder and arrested a further delay has been required tocomplete the stripping of the terminal end of the more slowly rotatingdoffer before suction upon the nozzles is cut off and where the valveand suction pipe is manually operated to cut off suction additionalattendance is required by the operator to that for holding the carriageduring the stripping of the initial end of the cylinder before thefeeding of material to the cylinder is resumed. I am aware that meanshave been devised for automatically discontinuing the Aapplication ofsuction to the nozzles and thereupon causing the resumption of thefeeding mechanism, but in any case attendance of the operator isrequired properly to strip the initial end of the cylinder.

inasmuch as in the carding room or department `of a textile plant anoperator is required to attend several machines the lost time in theattendance `of each machine although short will, during a daysoperation, accumlate to a considerable amount and may cause theinterruption of operation of other machines. One of the objects of theinvention is to avoid such wastage of time upon the part of theoperatorI and to provide a system in which the commencement of thestripping of each machine may be begun promptly upon the completion ofthe previous stripping thereby enabling the machine to produce a sliverof carded material of uniform character and quality.

Where, in usual pneumatic stripping apparatus heretofore employed, thesuction is immediately cut oli at the end of the traverse of thecarriage the brous material in the pipe intermediate of the nozzle andsuction controlling valve tends to accumulate upon and interfere withthe operation of the suction valve mechanism.

l A further object of the invention comprises a method and apparatus bymeans of which such relatively narrow adjoining spirals of material willbe stripped from the initial end of the cylinder and/or the terminalend" of the doffer as will avoid the likelihood of clogging the suctioncontrolling valve when` the carriage is arrested at the end of thestripping operation.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide pneumatically operablestripping mechanism for repeatedly stripping the cylinder in sequencewithout interruption of the continuous operation of the carding cylinderand doifer, it being understood that suitable means are provided fordiscontinuing the feeding of the material to the cylinder during thestripping operation and for causing the resumption of feed immediatelyat the end of the stripping operation.

The invention comprises suitable mechanism for decreasing the rate oftraverse of the carriage at the initial and terminal portions of thestripping operation which is adapted to be embodied in a card strippingmechanism of the type disclosed in the prior Patent No. 2,281,344granted to me April 28, 1942, for improvements in Carding machines. Asufficient portion of the mechanisms adapted to be so embodied in thecard stripping mechanism of the aforesaid type is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a view partially in vertical section illustrating thetraversing mechanism for the carriage embodying the present inventionwith the pawl on the carriage in engagement with the traverse screw;and,

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the pawl on the carriagedisengaged from the threads of the traverse screw at the terminus of thestripping operation.

Y Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a portion of the card strippingmechanism;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the left hand end of the main cylinder ofthe carding machine ,with the suctionV nozzle at the end of thetraverse;

Fig. 5.is a detail in cross section taken on the line 5-5 Vof Fig. 3,illustrating the suction valve in open position.

Earlier types of pneumatic card stripping mechanism comprise a carriagereciprocably mounted upon a suitable guide extending longitudinally ofthe cylinder and doffer and provided withnozzles having mouthscooperating respectively with the peripheries of the cylinder anddoffer.

To performthestripping operation the car- Yriage was moved manually toone end of the cylinder, the mechanism for feeding material to thecylinder rendered inoperative, means manually operated to apply suctionto the stripping of the stripping operation the pawl and the carriagewere disengaged from the traverse screw,

Ythe valveY through which suction is applied to the nozzle manuallyclosed, and the mechanism for feeding the material to the cylinder thenmanually restored to operative position to resume the carding operation.In later improved maj chines, suchasthat disclosed in my prior patentaforesaid, automatically operable means were provided for discontinuingthe application of suction and thereafter for causing resumption Y ofthe mechanism for feeding material to the carding cylinder. However,means were provided for permitting the suction to remain on after thecarriage had been stopped for such prede- `terrnined time as wasnecessary to cause complete stripping of the terminal end of thecylinder Y and particularly of the doifer. In all cases, however, it wasnecessary to hold the carriage at the initial end of the strippingoperation after suction had been applied before the pawl and thecarriage was engaged with the traverse screw to insure completestripping of the initial end v of the cylinder.

In all cases considerable time of the operator is required to attend tothe stripping of the initial end of the cylinder and continua-tion ofthe suction after the carriage had been stopped at the terminal end ofits movement was required to complete stripping of the cylinder anddoffer.

Ordinarily an operator attends to the stripping of several adjacentmachines and the number of machines undergoing stripping at any one timeis limited by the capacity of the suction system. It is thereforeimportant to take a stripped machine off the suction line as soon aspossible after its stripping operation has been completed in order thatstripping may be started on another machine without overloading thesuction mechanism. It is also important that the stripped machine berestored to carding with a minimum of delay.

By reason of the present invention the stripping operation can beinitiated immediately when the carriage is moved by the operator toinitial stripping position and when the carriage is arrested at the endof the stripping operation suction immediately cut off thereby not onlysaving time of the operator but also conserving the power required forthe suction mechanism.

rThe carriage traversing mechanism of a pneumatic card stripper forstripping the carding cylinder I and the doffer 2, which are graphicallyillustrated in the drawings, comprises the usual tubular guide 3 for thecarriage which is mounted upon suitable brackets 4 and 5 which arerespectively mounted upon the side frames 6 and 'I of the cardingmachine. The carriage 8 is slidably mounted upon the guide 3 and isprovided with a suction chamber 9 to which suction is applied throughthe usual iiexible pipe. The carriage is provided with usual suctionnozzles positioned respectively in stripping relation to the cardingcylinder and the doffer. The traverse screw is provided with cylindricalportions I0 and Ii which are mounted respectively in bushings I'2 and I3in bosses I4 and I5 on the brackets 4 and 5. The traverse screw isconnected at one end to a pinion I6 which is driven by a gear mounted onthe doffer shaft as illustrated in my prior patent aforesaid.

The traverse screw is provided throughout the greater portion of itslength by a main thread I'I of suitable pitch as is usual in priorconstructions.

In the present invention the initial end portion of the traverse screwhas threads I8 of uniform lesser pitch, preferably approximately halfthe pitch of the main screw, and the terminal end of the traverse screwis likewise provided with similar threads I9 of uniform lesser pitchpreferably equal to those of the section I8.

The carriage 8 has pivotally mounted upon it a pawl 2i) which isprovided with a replaceable hardened plate 2| which engages the threadsof the traverse screw. The opposite arm 22 of the pawl is of arcuateform and is adapted to ride upwardly upon the reversely curved surfaceof a pawl-lifting arm 23 which is adjustably mounted in the bracket 5and serves when the carriage reaches the finishing end of the strippingmovement to disengage the pawl from the traverse screw.

As heretofore described means have been designed as exemplified in myprior patent aforesaid to delay the shutting off of the suction upon thenozzles until the terminal end of the doffer riage permit the retentionbetween the valve and suction nozzle `of accumulated libres which clogor otherwise interfere with the operation of the suction valve. Byreason of the present invention the reduction of material in thenarrower furrows at the terminal portion of the stripping operationenables the shut-ofi valve in the suction pipe to be immediately closedat the end of the stripping operation in such manner as to avoid anaccumulation in the suction pipe which will interfere with the operationof the suction valve.

Suitable mechanism for thus promptly closing the suction valve at theend of the stripping operation is clearly disclosed in my `Patent No.2,464,425 granted March 15, 1949, on an application filed June 2, 1947,and Figs. 3, 4, and of the drawings correspond to Figs. 1, 2, and 3respectively of `the drawings of the said Patent No. 2,464,425. In thisconstruction, as is usual, suction is applied to the nozzle 3G for themain cylinder and the nozzle 3l for the doffer through a suction pipe 32terminating in the suction chamber ll of a suitable valve casing 33. Inthis valve casing is slidably mounted a valve, shown as an aperturedplate 34, normally held in the open position shown in Fig. 5 against thetension of the spring 35 by a suitable detent. This detent is shown as abell crank lever 36 fulcrumed at 3l on the valve casing with its shorterarm, when the valve is in open position, extending in front of the edgeof the retracted valve plate 3ft and held in position by a pin 33projecting from the valve casing. The means shown for releasing thisdetent and thus shutting 01T the suction from the nozzles at the end ofthe traversing movement of the carriage, is as illustrated in theaforesaid Patent No. 2,464,425. During the traversing movement of thenozzle this nozzle rides beneath a cover 4|] for the slot in thecylinder casing held in open position against the tension of a spring4|. At the end of the traversing movement the nozzle passes opposite anotch Il?. in the edge of the cover and engages and swings a latch 43which by engagement of the shoulder llt with the edge of the notch 3|)has held the cover in open position against the tension of the spring4l. This closing movement of the cover is utilized to release the detent3B and shut on" the suction. In the construction illustrated a shipperrod 45, sliding in a guide l5 supported from the bracket 5, hasadjustably mounted at one end a striker el located behind the longer armof the bell crank lever and at its other end is pivotally connected to aprojection it secured to the cover 40. Thus it will be seen that at theend of the traversing movement of the stripping mechanism the longer arm36 of the bell crank lever will come in front of the striker lll andsimultaneously the latch 43' will be swung to release the cover and thecover in turn will move the shipper rod 45, thus to unlatch the detentand allow the spring 35 to slide the valve plate 34 to closed position,thus shutting off the suction.

In the operation of the machine the threads of lesser pitch at theinitial and terminal end portions of the traverse screw reduce the rateof traverse of the carriage relatively to that produced by the coarserthreads Il of the traverse screw, thereby causing the stripping of agreater number of adjoining narrow furrows at the initial and terminalends of the stripping operation over the number of wider furrowsstripped throughout the greater portions of the cylinder `machines `ofwhich he has charge.

`and doffer respectively, thereby insuring complete stripping of theinitial and end portions of the mat upon the cylinder and dofferrespectively without leaving any unstripped dog tails.

.By reason of this construction the operator is permitted immediately toengage the pawl on the carriage with the traverse screw to begin thestripping operation after he has discontinued the operation of thefeeding mechanism and caused the application of suction to the nozzle.He may then leave the machine to attend to other When the carriage hasreached the nnishing end of the traverse thethreads of lesser pitch onthe traverse screw cause the `suction nozzles to produce relativelynarrow furrows containing less material so that when the carriage isarrested at the end of its traversingmovement the shut-off valve in thesuction pipe may be immediately closed without danger of accumulation ofmaterial in the `suction pipe which Will interfere with the operation of'the suction valve vand the operation of lthe mechanism for feedingmaterial to the carding `cylinder immediately resumed.

By reason `of the present `invention therefore ya considerable `savingoftime of the operator is eiected and the consumption ofpower inoperatlngthe suction system reduced to a minimum.

`It will be understood that the particular mechanism shown and describedherein for performing the method and accomplishing the purpose of thepresent invention is of an illustrative character and not restrlctiveofthe meaning and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the inventiom what is claimed as new, and desiredto ce secured by Letters Patent, is:

l.. Card stripping mechanism, for removing the mat of materialaccumulated upon the surface of a continuously rotating cylinder, acarriage having stripping means and traversing means for moving thecarriage longitudinally of the cylinder in proximity to the cardingsurface thereof at a `uniform normal rate 'progressively to removeadjoining furrows of material from said mat throughout-the greaterportion of the length of the cylinder and having means for decreasingthe rate of traverse of the stripping means at the initial portion ofsaid traverse thereby to insure complete stripping of the mat from thatend of the cylinder.

2. Gard stripping mechanism, for removing the mats of materialaccumulated upon the surfaces of a continuously rotating cylinder anddoifer, a carriage having stripping means and traversing means formoving the carriage longitudinally of the cylinder in proximity to thecardine surface thereof at a uniform normal rate progressively to removeadjoining furrows of material from said mats throughout the greaterportion of the length of the cylinder and having means for decreasingthe rate of traverse of the stripping means at the initial and terminalportions oi said traverse thereby to insure complete stripping of themats from those ends of the cylinder and doler.

3L. Pneumatic stripping mechanism, for the cylinder of a cardingmachine, having a carriage provided with a suction nozzle and means forguiding said carriage lengthwise of the cylinder with the end of thenozzle in close proximity to the carding surface thereof to remove thematerial accumulated thereon, means for moving the carriage lengthwiseof the cylinder inc-luding a traverse screw rotating in suitable timedrelation to the rotationk of the cylinder and having the greater portionof its length provided with a main thread of suitable pitch to cause thenozzle progressively to strip narrow adjoining furrows of material fromthe mat oi material on the cylinder at a predetermined rate and havingat its initial end a thread of less pitch merging into the main threadacting so to decrease the rate of traverse of the carriage as to causethe nozzle completely to strip the material from the corresponding endof the cylinder.

4. Pneumatic stripping mechanism, for the cylinder and doi-ier of acarding machine, having a carriage provided with suction nozzles andmeans for guiding said carriage lengthwise of the cylinder with the endsof the respective nozzles in close proximity to the cooperating surfacesof the cylinder and doier to remove the material accumulated thereon,means for moving the carriage lengthwise of the cylinder including atraverse screw rotating in suitable timed relation to the rotation ofsaid cylinder and doer respectively and having the greater portion ofits length provided with a main thread of suitable pitch to cause thenozzles progressively to strip narrow adjoining furrows of material fromthe respective mats of material accumulated on the cylinder and dofferat a predetermined rate and having at its initial and terminal endsrespectively threads of less pitch merging into the main thread actingso to decrease the rate of traverse of the carriage as to cause thenozzles completely to strip the material from the corresponding ends ofthe cylinder and doier.

Pneumatic stripping mechanism, for the cylinder and doffer of a cardingmachine, having a carriage provided with suction nozzles, means forguiding the carriage lengthwise of the cylinder and dofier with the endsof the respective nozzles in close proximity to the cylinder and doifer,a suction pipe communicating with said nozzles provided with a shut-offvalve, traversing means for moving the carriage lengthwise of thecylinder and dofer while suction is applied to the nozzle to cause thenozzles to strip adjoining spiral furrows of material from the cylinderand doier respectively, means for arresting the traverse of the carriageupon completion of the traversing movement and means operable thereuponto close the shut-ofi valve, comprising means for so coordinating therates of traverse of the nozzle to the peripheral speeds of the cylinderand rio-lier as to cause the nozzles to strip spiral furrows of uniformpredetermined width throughout the major portion of said traverse and atthe terminal end portions of said traverse to strip relatively narrowadjoining furrows thus reducing the amount of material drawn into thesuction pipe sufliciently to avoid clogging or interference with theoperation of the suction valve.

6. Pneumatic stripping mechanism, for the cylinder and doier of acarding machine, having a carriage provided with Vsuction nozzles,

means for guiding the carriage lengthwise of the cylinder and dofferwith the ends of the respective nozzles in close proximity to thecylinder and doifer, a suction pipe communicating with said nozzlesprovided with a shut-off valve, traversing means for moving the carriagelengthwise of the cylinder and doffer while suction is applied to thenozzle to cause the nozzles to strip adjoining spiral furrows ofmaterial from the cylinder and doffer respectively, and means foractuating the shut-01T valve upon completion of the traversing movement,said traversing mechanism comprising a traverse screw having throughoutthe major portion of its length a thread of uniforinpitch adapted tocause said nozzles to strip adjoining furrows of predetermined widthfrom the mat of material upon the cylinder and doffer and provided withend portions having threads of lesser pitch to cause the stripping ofrelatively narrow adjoining furrows, thus reducing the material drawninto the suction pipe sufiiciently to avoid clogging or interferencewith the operation of the suction valve.

7. A traverse screw, for propelling the carriage oi a card strippingmechanism longitudinally of the cylinder or cylinders of the cardingmachine, having a main section provided with a thread of predetermineduniform pitch extending throughout the greater length thereof, and arelatively short end section provided with a thread of uniform lesspitch merging into said main thread adapted to reduce the rate oftraverse of the carriage to insure complete stripping of that endportion of the cylinder.

8. A traverse screw, for propelling the carriage of a card strippingmechanism longitudinally of the cylinder or cylinders of the cardingmachine, having a main section provided with a thread of predetermineduniform pitch extending throughout the greater length thereof, andrelatively short initial and terminal end sections provided respectivelywith a thread of uniform less pitch merging into said main threadadapted to reduce the initial and terminal rate of traverse of thecarriage to insure complete stripping of `ooth end portions of thecylinder.

CHARLES E. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,302,012 Cook et a1. Apr. 29,1919 1,424,598 Smith Aug. 1, 1922 2,281,344 White Apr. 28, 1942 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 905 Great Britain of 1859

